pball



W.E.PRALL] 2 Sheets--Sheef 1.

-lmpravementn Steam Vacuum Pump.

gbym,

Patented Jan.`30, 1872.

2 Sheets--Sheet 2.-

w1. PRALL. \mp,rovemeni in Steam Vacuum Pump. No. 123,292, Paremed1an.3o,1a72.

IVILLIAM E. PRALL, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM VACUUWFPUMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,292, dated January EO, 1572.

SPECIFICATION.

Specilication describing certain Improvements in Steam-Pun: ps, invented by VILLIAH E. PRALL, of Washington, District of Columbia'.

This invention relatesto the mechanism employed to produce an automatic steam-pump, a-nd is intended as a-n inxprovement on the various patents granted to me t'or that purpose. The arrangement and operation ot' the machine are very much the same in principle as .the others above referred to.

In Figures l and 2 are shown two diierent methods ot' construction, which vary a little in detail only, the principle being the same.

Fig. 1, A is a cylinder; B, a discharge-pipe; O, al suction-pipe; and D, an injection-pme, provided with a check-valve, opening' upward. This connects the discharge-pipe above the valve V with the cylinder near the top. The suction-pipe C is also provided with a valve. E is a diaphragm, connecting with the cylinder or some other part ofthe pump at apoint where the force ot' the steam within the device can be exerted to force it outward, and when the force of the vacuum will force it inward or in the opposite direction; or this diaphragm may be placed so as to connect between the two cylinders, as shown in Fig. 2, in which steam is used to force water, and afterward condensed for the purpose otl retillin g by the force ofthe vacuum. When the steam has expelled the water from the cylinder a portion of it will pass into the discharge-pipe and come in contact with the valve. The descending water from the valve will cause a partial vacuum, or, ather, will lessen the pressure within the cylinder. The effect ot' this reduction of pressure in the pump, it the diaphragm is connected with it on one side only and the other side is in contact with the atl'nosphere, as shown in Fig. l, will be, when the pressure is reduced below the atmospheric pressure, to draw it inward but when the diaphragm is used in the doubleacting or pump ot' two cylinders, as shown in Fig. 2, it' the throttle or cut-ott valve F is allowed to leak steam a very little, which could not easily be prevented in any case, the pressure would be. nearly equal on both sides ot the diaphragm, being connected on one side with one cylinder and on the other side to the other cylinder, and, when so arranged, it would opcrate the throttle or cut-ott' valve as soon as the pressure is reduced a very little below that in the opposite cylinder to the one discharged. It will be seen that the diaphragm in either case forms apart ot' the steam-cylimleror other portion ot' the pump which receives the press-l ure, and has the same pressure exerted against it that any other part resists, but is susceptible ot a movement in opposite directions, which it receives from the expansion and contraction force within the pump or pumps. The small amount ot' steam that leaks through tle or cut-oit' valve acts tot'orce the diaphragm outward, which opens the valve full and lets on the full force ot' the steam; or the cut-oit' valve may be so arranged that the force of the steam will open it by the increased pressure in one direction as soon as the water has iilled the cylinder and the diaphragm is relieved from the 'acuum force. As soon as the pressure is reduced in the cylinder, by the condensation ot` the steam which is brought in contactwith the valve ofthe discharge-pipe, said valve will close and water will be injected from the injection-pipe into the cylinder, which will complete the condensation and cause the cylinder to refill with water. By connecting the diaphragm on both sides, as shown in Fig. 2, the action of the throttle or cut-off valve is quicker than when used with one cylinder, and the reduction of the pressure in the dischargecylinder need not be so great as in the other case to cause its movement on account ot' the pressure on the opposite side being greater than the atmospheric pressure.

The action ot the double pump above described diii'ers Jfrom the one described in my Jformer application for a patent principally in the manner -of reducing the pressure on one side ot' the diaphragm to cause the movement ot' the throttle or cut-ott' valve, the result and mechanism being the same in each case.

When two cylinders are used the injectionpipe extends from the bottom ot' each to the top of the other, and provided with valves opening upward, so that water will be forced from the discharging-cylinder into the one retilling.

The nozzle ot' the in jection-pipe is so arranged as to prevent its being;` filled up by ibrous or other matter by being; constructed so as to distribute the Water Without having perforations. This is accomplished by placing a small conical distributing-plate, S, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, in frontot' the injection, the small end projecting inward in such manner as to throw the Water in a thin sheet over the surface of the cone. 1n al1 cases where the diaphragm is usedas above described a piston could be used, but not so advantageously.

I reserve the right to claim, in anotherapplication, the diaphragm E, operated by the intermittent Weight of one or more Water columns, for the purpose set forth and for other purposes. Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

The combination of pipe D and nozzle with conical distributing-plate S, cylinder A, and pipe B, as shown and described.

NV. E. PRALL.

Witnesses:

JN0. D. DEFREES, EDM. F. BROWN. 

